Open letter to President Obama
Editor's note: The following is a letter dated January 1, 2009 addressed to then U.S. President-elect Barack Obama calling for the United States to change its policies vis-a-vis the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, especially in light of Israel's onslaught against the Gaza Strip. It was signed by more than 900 academics, most of them based...
Obama names Mitchell Mideast envoy
January 24th, 20090 President moves to close Guantanamo, end torture, work on Mideast peace U.S. President Barack Obama (L) listens to newly appointed Mideast envoy George Mitchell at the State Department in Washington January 22, 2009. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque Moving quickly to undo a contentious Bush administration national security program and...Communities get help with digital crossover
DETROIT — New America Media and the Leadership Council on Civil Rights (LCCR) met with ethnic media in seven states this week to address the lack of information about the transition to digital television (DTV). Despite the government funds to subsidize the converter boxes and President Obama's request to Congress to postpone the...
Michigan congressional delegation supports Israel resolution
January 17th, 20090 U.S. Reps. Dingell and Kilpatrick vote 'present' The U.S. House and Senate backed Israel's ongoing bombardment of the Gaza Strip in two strongly-worded, non-binding resolutions last week, despite hundreds of letters that activists said were sent to representatives begging for action toward an immediate ceasefire. The Senate...Guantanamo detainees’ poems come to life on stage
When inmates of the infamous Guantanamo Bay U.S. detention center in Cuba wrote poetry behind bars, they did so with little expectation of it ever reaching a wide audience. But thanks to the non-profit Actors and Poets Group of New York, the personal thoughts expressed in prisoners' poems will be made public in a brand-new...Olmert’s claims revive specter of “Israel Lobby”
WASHINGTON (IPS) — The U.S. State Department fiercely denied claims made by Ehud Olmert about his influence over President George W. Bush, in an incident that has stirred up old debates about the role of the Israeli government and the so-called "Israel lobby" in formulating Middle East policy in Washington. Israel's Prime...
Video: The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart on Gaza
January 13th, 20090 The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c Strip Maul Barack Obama InterviewJohn McCain Interview Sarah Palin VideoFunny Election Video Members of the group Jewish Voice for Peace have been circulating an email urging people to send messages of thanks to the host of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon...U.S. abstains as Security Council passes ceasefire resolution
UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. Security Council approved a resolution Thursday night calling for an immediate and durable cease-fire between Hamas and Israeli forces in Gaza. The U.S. abstained from the 14-0 vote. The United Nations Security Council meets to discuss the crisis in Gaza, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York...
Networks’ int’l news coverage at record low in 2008
January 9th, 20090 WASHINGTON (IPS) — Despite two wars involving more than 200,000 U.S. troops and a global economic crisis, foreign-related news coverage by the three major U.S. television networks fell to a record low during 2008, according to the latest annual review of network news coverage by the authoritative Tyndall Report. Squeezed out by...DOJ and Treasury rebuff calls to investigate alleged $60 billion Israel money laundering ring
WASHINGTON - Case files of U.S. Justice and Treasury Department refusals to investigate money laundering allegations since the year 2005 are now online at: //www.IRmep.org/ila/moneylaunder An Israeli man walks in Ma'ale settlement near the West Bank city of Ramallah September 14, 2008. REUTERS/Gil Cohen Magen On March 3,...Cab driver assaulted by college basketball coach, team official
University of Mississippi men's basketball coach Andy Kennedy was arrested last Thursday, Dec. 18 in Cincinnati, Ohio after a cab driver said he punched him and called him "bin Laden" and other racially-insensitive names, according to a report by the Detroit Free Press. The man who filed the complaint, Mohamed Moctar Ould Jiddou, said...Probers link election night beating of Muslim teen with hit and run
Two white Staten Island teens already facing hate crime charges for attacking a Muslim teen the night Barack Obama was elected have been linked to another bias attack that left another victim in a coma. Ralph Nicolleti and Bryan Garaventa were arrested last month for beating 17-year-old Ali Kamara with a baseball bat as they shouted...
Television goes digital in February
December 26th, 20080 Deadline to apply for converter coupons Dec. 31 On Feb. 17, 2009, the nation will switch from analog (over-the-air) television to digital television. More than 21 million households will be affected by the switch and most are unaware of the change, according to civil rights leadership education website civilrights.org. Using rabbit...Obama picks LaHood for transportation secretary
WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama has selected U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood for transportation secretary, which would make him the second Republican in the Cabinet, a senior Democrat said on Wednesday. U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood Obama offered LaHood, 63, of Illinois the post and the lawmaker, who is retiring from Congress, is...Cross-country hope for Obama
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama speaks during a news conference in Chicago December 18, 2008. REUTERS/Jeff Haynes On Sunday, Dec. 14, 15 people in Flagstaff, Ariz. responded to the Obama campaign's invitation to attend a "change is coming" house meeting that one woman — with a little help from her friends — agreed to host.......
Muslim’s scarf leads to arrest at courthouse
December 20th, 20080 A Douglasville, Ga. woman was jailed Tuesday after a judge found her in contempt of court for refusing to remove her hijab, the head covering worn by Muslim women. Lisa Valentine, also known by her Islamic name, Miedah, 40, was arrested at the Douglasville Municipal Court for violating a court policy of no headgear, said Chris...Car bailout falters in Senate
$14 billion deal fails over union wage cuts New cars are seen at a parking lot next to a Chrysler plant in Detroit, Michigan December 10, 2008. REUTERS/Carlos Barria A $14 billion rescue plan for the beleaguered auto industry has collapsed after the Senate failed to reach a compromise over worker wage and benefit cuts. "I'm......
Foreign policy expert: No more “blank checks” for Israel
A former U.S. ambassador to Israel said on Dec. 7 the Jewish state can no longer expect "blank checks" from Washington once president-elect Barack Obama's administration takes over in January, according to an Agence France-Presse report. "The era of the blank check is over," said Martin Indyk, director of the Saban Center for Middle...Obama plans massive public works
U.S. facing biggest job losses since 1974 Suddenly beset by the worst monthly layoffs since 1974, Americans are starting to struggle with how to find employment for the millions who are losing jobs in the recession. Should government spend billions on retraining programs, create tax incentives for businesses that hire new workers,...American Muslims hope Obama will encourage tolerance
WASHINGTON — What do American Muslims expect from President-elect Barack Obama? What can they do to help redefine their role in U.S. society? Those questions topped the agenda at the recent annual meeting of the Council on American Islamic Relations, or CAIR, in Washington D.C., attended by more than 700 American Muslim activists...
Auto bailout: Congress gets closer to a decision
December 6th, 20080 Lawmakers say bankruptcy for Detroit's Big Three is 'not a viable option.' From left to right, Richard Wagoner, chairman and CEO of General Motors, Ron Gettelfinger, President of the United Auto Workers International Union, Alan Mulally, president and CEO of Ford Motor Company, and Robert Nardelli, chairman and CEO of Chrysler......
Obama urged to quickly engage Iran, Syria
WASHINGTON (IPS) — The incoming administration of President-elect Barack Obama should move quickly to engage Iran without preconditions and to promote an Israeli-Syrian peace accord, according to two veteran Middle East experts whose views are likely to have influence over Obama's just-announced foreign policy team. U.S....ADC releases hate crimes report, highlights recent military case
WASHINGTON — The day before releasing their latest hate crimes report, The American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) received a message telling the group to go back to where they came from. ADC Executive Director Kareem Shora read the message in full to an audience of journalists and the public Thursday. The e-mail......
U.S. charity found guilty
November 29th, 20080 Zolfa Elaydi, center, with her children Fidaa, left, and Jihad, reacting to news that the leaders of a Muslim charity had been convicted on Monday in Dallas. PHOTO: Dallas Morning News DALLAS — A U.S. court has convicted a Muslim charity and five of its former leaders on 108 charges in the largest "terrorism" financing trial in...
Congress deaf to pleas of panicky auto execs
November 22nd, 20080 DETROIT (IPS) — The vote on a 25-billion-dollar loan for cash-strapped General Motors, Chrysler and Ford Motor Company — known as the "Big Three" U.S. automakers — has been put on hold by the Senate, after Congressional leaders chastised industry executives for failing to heed early warnings of crisis and for flying to......
